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Printing guide
Poster sizes: the standard dimensions
The most common poster sizes in the US are 11 by 17 inches (small), 18 by 24 inches (medium), 24 by 36 inches (large) and 27 by 40 inches (movie poster). Standard poster board is 22 by 28 inches. For a wall poster read from a few feet away, 18 by 24 or 24 by 36 is the usual pick.
Standard poster size chart
US sizes first, then the A series used in most other countries.
| 11 x 17 in (tabloid, ledger) | 279 x 432 mm. Small poster, flyer on a bulletin board, menu board |
|---|---|
| 12 x 18 in | 305 x 457 mm. Small poster with a little more room |
| 18 x 24 in | 457 x 610 mm. The most common poster size. Retail signs, events, art prints |
| 24 x 36 in | 610 x 914 mm. Large poster. Lobbies, trade shows, window displays |
| 27 x 40 in | 686 x 1,016 mm. The movie one sheet |
| 36 x 48 in | 914 x 1,219 mm. Research posters, large displays |
| 22 x 28 in poster board | 559 x 711 mm. Standard poster board, school projects, easel signs |
| A3 | 297 x 420 mm, 11.7 x 16.5 in |
| A2 | 420 x 594 mm, 16.5 x 23.4 in |
| A1 | 594 x 841 mm, 23.4 x 33.1 in |
| A0 | 841 x 1,189 mm, 33.1 x 46.8 in |
Which size to pick
Match the size to the reading distance. A poster on a bulletin board is read from two feet away, so 11 by 17 works. A poster on a shop wall is read from six to ten feet, so 18 by 24 or 24 by 36 keeps the headline legible. A lobby or trade show poster seen from across a room needs 24 by 36 or bigger.
The rule of thumb for headline size: about 1 inch of letter height for every 10 feet of viewing distance. A 24 by 36 poster read from 20 feet wants a 2 inch tall headline. Body copy at that distance needs to be at least 0.5 inch.
Pixel sizes for poster files
Resolution follows viewing distance. A wall poster read from a few feet away looks sharp at 150 dpi, and 100 dpi still holds up on a 36 by 48 print seen from across a room. A research poster or a menu board that people read up close should stay at 300 dpi. What matters is the pixels you actually have: a small web image stretched to poster size prints soft no matter what the file says.
| 11 x 17 in | 1,650 x 2,550 px at 150 dpi, 3,300 x 5,100 px at 300 dpi |
|---|---|
| 18 x 24 in | 2,700 x 3,600 px at 150 dpi, 5,400 x 7,200 px at 300 dpi |
| 24 x 36 in | 3,600 x 5,400 px at 150 dpi |
| 27 x 40 in | 4,050 x 6,000 px at 150 dpi |
| 36 x 48 in | 3,600 x 4,800 px at 100 dpi, 5,400 x 7,200 px at 150 dpi |
Setting up the file
Build the file at the finished size with a 0.125 inch bleed on each side if any color runs to the edge. Export a PDF. Vector logos and type stay sharp at any size, so keep them vector rather than flattening to an image. A PDF from Illustrator, InDesign, Canva or PowerPoint all print fine.
For a poster that will be mounted on foam board or laminated, tell us when you send the file. Mounting adds a little to the edge, and lamination changes how a matte stock looks.
Poster printing at our shop
Our wide format printer runs posters from 11 by 17 up to 36 by 48 on matte, glossy or heavy photo stock, and banners up to 60 inches wide. Trim, lamination, mounting and coil holes happen in house. Files in by 10 AM are usually ready by 3:30 PM the same day in Encino, with a file check and a PDF proof first.
Quick answers
People also ask
18 by 24 inches is the most common. 24 by 36 is the standard large poster, and 11 by 17 is the standard small one.
27 by 40 inches, called a one sheet.
Standard poster board is 22 by 28 inches. Tri fold science fair boards are 36 by 48 inches open.
150 dpi at the printed size for a wall poster read from a few feet away, 300 dpi for anything read up close, and 100 dpi holds up on very large prints seen from across a room.
Yes. Files in by 10 AM are usually ready by 3:30 PM. Mounting or lamination on a large run can push to the next morning, and we say so up front.
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